onefrombills
06-19-2009, 04:33 AM
LAS VEGAS - When Lee Vanderhoef of Greenville, S.C., stepped onto the lanes at the 2009 USBC Open Championships, he wanted to prove to himself that he could still compete with the best.
On Sunday, he proved to himself and everyone else at Cashman Center that he could by rolling the 27th perfect game of this year's event on the way to a career-best all-events total.
Vanderhoef struggled to find his mark the night before in team and posted a 617 series. He made the adjustments needed and found a pair of lanes he liked in doubles and added 750 for a confidence boost heading into singles.
When he switched pairs for singles, he was glad to see the ball reaction he had was the same as the lanes he'd just bowled on. He started singles with games of 229 and 226 before tossing 12 consecutive strikes for a 300 game and 755 series.
"After bowling extremely horrible in team, I wanted to be loose and have fun for doubles and singles," Vanderhoef said. "I had a great look. That last ball felt great and I knew it was good. I knew if I missed, I would miss left, so I crept a little to the left. It worked. Shooting 300 here means a lot. This whole tournament experience is something I really look forward to."
The 30-year-old right-hander's singles effort gave him a 2,122 all-events total, which is 17th in Regular All-Events. Ron Vokes leads with a record 2,321.
"Moving over lanes, I was able to keep my same look," said Vanderhoef, who made his third Open Championships appearance. "After my first couple of strikes, I was feeling it. After about the sixth one, I thought I had a chance. Towards the end, I had to step back and take a few extra breaths."
Throughout his quest for perfection, Vanderhoef kept the mood light and his mind off the scoreboard by laughing and joking with 2007 USBC Queens champion, Kelly Kulick, of Union, N.J. The two have been friends for about 10 years.
"Kelly was still joking with me the whole time, and it helped keep the mood the same," said Vanderhoef, who sharpens his skills at Wade Hampton Lanes. "It was nice to see that the lanes played pretty much the same as they did last year."
Last year in Albuquerque, N.M., Vanderhoef shot 746 in singles, 693 in team and 660 in doubles for 2,099.
It has been a long road for Vanderhoef, who decided he wanted to make a career on the lanes shortly after wrapping up his college career at Vincennes University, but has had limited success on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour.
The most recent hardship came three weeks ago when he missed out at the PBA Tour Trials in Allen Park, Mich. There were eight exemptions for the 2009-10 PBA Tour season up for grabs, but Vanderhoef had a hard time and finished 42nd.
"I didn't bowl so well at the Tour Trials," said Vanderhoef, who owns 11 PBA regional titles. "My goal is the same, and I will keep trying to make the Tour. I'm the guy outside looking in every year. But I'm going to Detroit to try my luck."
With the PBA World Series of Bowling right around the corner (Aug. 4-Sept. 6 in the Detroit area), this week's performance at the Open Championships can only be a confidence boost for Vanderhoef as he prepares to make his dream a reality.
"I get discouraged a lot," Vanderhoef said. "But a couple of days go by, and I know I have to work harder. I say to myself that this is what I want to do. I have no idea how long I will keep trying. I had about a two-year stretch where I wanted to get out. But the last three years I went back at it pretty hard."
Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Open Championships are the Coast Casinos in Las Vegas and the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel and Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the official brackets sponsors; Sapphire Gentleman's Club; Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino; MGM Mirage; Jerry's Nugget Casino and Fitzgerald's Casino and Hotel.
On Sunday, he proved to himself and everyone else at Cashman Center that he could by rolling the 27th perfect game of this year's event on the way to a career-best all-events total.
Vanderhoef struggled to find his mark the night before in team and posted a 617 series. He made the adjustments needed and found a pair of lanes he liked in doubles and added 750 for a confidence boost heading into singles.
When he switched pairs for singles, he was glad to see the ball reaction he had was the same as the lanes he'd just bowled on. He started singles with games of 229 and 226 before tossing 12 consecutive strikes for a 300 game and 755 series.
"After bowling extremely horrible in team, I wanted to be loose and have fun for doubles and singles," Vanderhoef said. "I had a great look. That last ball felt great and I knew it was good. I knew if I missed, I would miss left, so I crept a little to the left. It worked. Shooting 300 here means a lot. This whole tournament experience is something I really look forward to."
The 30-year-old right-hander's singles effort gave him a 2,122 all-events total, which is 17th in Regular All-Events. Ron Vokes leads with a record 2,321.
"Moving over lanes, I was able to keep my same look," said Vanderhoef, who made his third Open Championships appearance. "After my first couple of strikes, I was feeling it. After about the sixth one, I thought I had a chance. Towards the end, I had to step back and take a few extra breaths."
Throughout his quest for perfection, Vanderhoef kept the mood light and his mind off the scoreboard by laughing and joking with 2007 USBC Queens champion, Kelly Kulick, of Union, N.J. The two have been friends for about 10 years.
"Kelly was still joking with me the whole time, and it helped keep the mood the same," said Vanderhoef, who sharpens his skills at Wade Hampton Lanes. "It was nice to see that the lanes played pretty much the same as they did last year."
Last year in Albuquerque, N.M., Vanderhoef shot 746 in singles, 693 in team and 660 in doubles for 2,099.
It has been a long road for Vanderhoef, who decided he wanted to make a career on the lanes shortly after wrapping up his college career at Vincennes University, but has had limited success on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour.
The most recent hardship came three weeks ago when he missed out at the PBA Tour Trials in Allen Park, Mich. There were eight exemptions for the 2009-10 PBA Tour season up for grabs, but Vanderhoef had a hard time and finished 42nd.
"I didn't bowl so well at the Tour Trials," said Vanderhoef, who owns 11 PBA regional titles. "My goal is the same, and I will keep trying to make the Tour. I'm the guy outside looking in every year. But I'm going to Detroit to try my luck."
With the PBA World Series of Bowling right around the corner (Aug. 4-Sept. 6 in the Detroit area), this week's performance at the Open Championships can only be a confidence boost for Vanderhoef as he prepares to make his dream a reality.
"I get discouraged a lot," Vanderhoef said. "But a couple of days go by, and I know I have to work harder. I say to myself that this is what I want to do. I have no idea how long I will keep trying. I had about a two-year stretch where I wanted to get out. But the last three years I went back at it pretty hard."
Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Open Championships are the Coast Casinos in Las Vegas and the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel and Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the official brackets sponsors; Sapphire Gentleman's Club; Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino; MGM Mirage; Jerry's Nugget Casino and Fitzgerald's Casino and Hotel.